Italy

Today was about more exploring and trying new things. We had a lovely, slow morning—I think we all needed it—and we headed out just before 10 a.m. Walking past the big cathedral, we were just in time to see more of the local festa, with the procession of three more statues through the street, followed by a marching band and many locals. Once the procession had passed, we ventured into the cathedral for a look. It was massive—lots of white and brown marble, frescoes, paintings, and relics. ...

Today we drive! We hired a car from a local rental company (GoRent) and drove to Matera for a day trip. Driving in Italy is exciting! The cities and towns are the hard part. Once you’re on the Autostrada, it’s plain sailing. The traffic signs are confusing. When it seems to say 50 km/h and you do this, others feel like they are passing you at warp speed. 🤌 Not keen on getting a speeding fine, I follow what the speed signs and the car GPS tell me—until it feels dangerous, and then I speed up to “local traffic speed” for a bit to avoid accidents. ...

Today we took a bus from Monopoli to Alberobello—home of the beautiful UNESCO Trulli stone houses. After about an hour on the bus, driving through the Puglian countryside, we arrived in Alberobello. Now to find the Trulli. Up this street, down that—we wound our way from the bus stop, which is on the outskirts of town, toward the centre. It’s here we found the amazing Trulli. Memories came flooding back from our previous visit in 2015, when we stayed in town in Trulli for a few days. ...

Today was all about chilling out, unwinding, and recharging. It was a wonderfully warm day in Monopoli—perfect for exploring a little and then hitting the beach. We grabbed lunch at the other café at the end of our street—this one focused mainly on fried calamari and octopus paninis (what could be better?). We ordered some calamari, fries, a few octopus paninis, and some drinks. An amazing lunch. By the afternoon, a breeze had come up. Rain is expected tomorrow. We still wanted some beach time, however, and didn’t let the breeze stop us—although it did change the previously mirror-like sea into a bit more of a choppy affair. ...

After a quick overnight stay in Bari, we packed up our bags and walked to the train station. Bari Centrale was about a 2 km walk, giving us a brief look at other areas of the city as we made our way through the streets. It was a quick 45-minute train ride to Monopoli. The train left Bari and followed the coastline, providing some lovely views of both the water and the almost endless fields of vines and olive trees—something the region is known for. ...

Today we pack our bags and head back to Italy 🇮🇹. Croatia 🇭🇷 has been absolutely amazing—we’ve loved it and wish we had more time here. But all good things come to an end, and we must move on. We have a day sailing out of Dubrovnik, which will get us in at around 7 p.m. this evening to Bari, where we will check into our next Airbnb apartment. The day sailing will be an interesting change—more like a cruise. The ship seems to be very well appointed, with lots of options for the kids to keep themselves entertained and amused. ...

Today is a travel day. We say farewell to Varenna and Lake Como. It’s been a fantastic and busy few days—we’ve loved it. This morning, we caught a regional train from Varenna back to Milan, and from Milan we took a fast train (Frecciarossa) to Ancona, where we would board an overnight ferry to Split. We checked out of the apartment in Varenna, backpacks on, and headed for the station. ...

Today was a big day – it’s H’s birthday! As we woke up, we drew back the blinds to reveal a picture-perfect sunny day on Lake Como. Today looked like it would be the best weather yet. The low cloud that had hung over the nearby mountains had cleared, and we could now see their snow-capped peaks. The view was truly stunning. We had a light breakfast and set out early to avoid the crowds. ...

After a very long day yesterday, we all went to bed pretty early—but this also meant we were all awake early. The kids did well and slept from 7 pm through to just after 4 am, and stayed in bed until about 5 am when restlessness got the better of them (as it does). So it was time to get up and have a chilled, slow morning—leftover pizza from last night’s dinner and a coffee or two while taking in the views. What’s not to love! ...

After a reasonably long (12-hour) onward flight from Singapore—which included a lot of bumps thanks to thunderstorms—we landed safely at Milano Airport this morning at about 6:30 am local time (GMT +2). A grey and drizzly day welcomed us in Milan, but at least it wasn’t cold (and lugging 15 kg backpacks certainly helps to keep you warm). We cleared baggage collection and immigration impossibly quickly—it really was fast. Having two kids in tow appears to have helped, as we were directed through the special “tired parents with tired kids express line.” They clearly took pity on the handful of parents traveling with their kids. ...